Friday, August 31, 2012

Important Early Year Announcements and Reminders

Dear Gregory Students and Parents,

Please review the following important chorus announcements and reminders:


· Parents – please take a minute or two to fill out the following online form (you will need to know your child’s chorus period to complete this):


· Please bookmark this website in your browser:

http://www.GregoryChorus.org

It will be the main portal for posting all important information regarding the Gregory Chorus program. Also, since it is in 'blog' format, comments are allowed and encouraged!

· The Chorus Uniform Contract/Polo Order Form is due by Wednesday, September 5. Thank you to everyone who has already turned this in. If you need a copy, click here. Families new to the Gregory music program, or students who are looking to purchase a new shirt, will need to enclose their payment of $12 with this form as well.

· Every chorus student will need to provide the following materials for chorus class:

o Assignment notebook – to be brought daily

o A two-pocket folder (separate from other subject folders); included inside are lined paper and pencil. These materials will reside in a folder cabinet in the chorus room.

o The folder/paper/pencil will be checked in class on Wednesday, September 5.

· Concert Choir, Gregory’s honors-level auditioned treble-voice choir, will be holding auditions on Wednesday, September 5 and Thursday, September 6, after school. Students are encouraged to try out! Sign-ups for a 4-minute audition timeslot are posted in the chorus room, but are filling up quickly, so interested students are encouraged to find a time soon. Students will also need to bring in a signed permission slip/participation contract (located in the chorus room) prior to their audition – students will NOT be allowed to audition without the form signed by a parent/guardian. The first rehearsal will be on Monday, September 10, from 6:55-7:45am. For more information about Concert Choir, see the information posted later in this email.

· The Chorus Calendar Acknowledgment Form is due by Friday, September 7. Thank you to everyone who has already turned this in. If you need a copy, click here. Many thanks for putting our performance dates on your family calendar and for recognizing the importance of our concerts!

· Students interested in auditioning for the IMEA Music Festival should turn in their form for that by Friday, September 7 (extended from the original Aug. 31 deadline). See Click here for an audition packet which includes the parent signature form. For more information about the festival, consult the information posted later in this email.

· Mixed Vocal Ensemble, a new vocal group at Gregory, will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, September 12, from 3:10-4:00pm. For more information about Mixed Vocal Ensemble, see the information posted later in this email.

· Men’s Ensemble, Gregory’s premier all-male vocal group, will begin rehearsals on Thursday, September 13, from 6:55-7:45am. No audition is required, and all boys at Gregory are encouraged to check it out! Interested students should sign up in the Chorus Room and pick up a permission slip/participation contract. For more information about Men’s Ensemble, see the information posted later in this email.

· A great singing event is coming up at Neuqua on the evening of Monday, October 1 – The Southside Singout! All Gregory students are encouraged to attend (in fact, it’s open to all students on the southside of District 204 in grades 3-12!!). More information about this event will be distributed soon.

Extracurricular vocal opportunities at Gregory:

Concert Choir is Gregory’s auditioned honors chorus, and is open to any chorus student at
Gregory with a treble (i.e. girls or unchanged boys) voice. Repertoire consists of advanced middle school and high school level music from a wide variety of genres and cultures. The group rehearses on Mondays and Fridays before the school day, and performs at various additional events throughout the school year.

Men’s Ensemble is a non-auditioned group open to male singers (changed and unchanged
voices) at Gregory. The ensemble’s one weekly rehearsal alternates on a weekly basis between Thursday mornings before school and Wednesdays after school. Rehearsals focus on the special needs of the changing male voice, and students have fun performing a challenging but entertaining repertoire of music from a wide variety of genres.

Mixed Vocal Ensemble is new to the 2012-13 school year. The goal of the group is to provide an outlet to students in Concert Choir or Men’s Ensemble who want an additional, more pop-oriented performance opportunity. Repertoire will consist of contemporary and classic pop tunes, Broadway medleys, show choir selections, jazz standards, and holiday carols, amongst others. The ensemble will rehearse once a week on an alternating schedule with Men’s Ensemble – Wednesdays after school, then Thursdays before school. Interested students need to be members of either Concert Choir or Men’s Ensemble in order to participate.

The IMEA (Illinois Music Educators Association) Music Festival is an additional opportunity for seventh and eighth grade students. The festival is a single daylong activity on November 3 at Neuqua Valley High School where students work with a special guest clinician to reinforce musical and vocal concepts learned in chorus class. At the end of the day, a concert is performed for parents, friends, and teachers. Auditions will be held at Yorkville Middle School in Yorkville on September 29. Rehearsals for IMEA will begin in early October, one day per week after school.

In February, IGSMA (Illinois Grade School Music Association) sponsors a Solo and EnsembleContest. The event is an opportunity for chorus students to perform a solo or small ensemble (duet, trio, etc.) in front of an audience and judge. The judge then works with students on a one-on-one basis, providing feedback about their performance. Students who have participated in the past have enjoyed the experience greatly. Rehearsals will be one day per week after school throughout January and February.

Many students in the Gregory music department use the summer months to attend a performance camp. These summer music camps provide students further enrichment through intensive instruction in music for anywhere from five days to two weeks, depending upon the camp. In addition to our own District 204 Summer Chorus program, others that are highly recommended are ISYM (Illinois Summer Youth Music) at the University of Illinois, and Blue Lake Camp in Michigan. Students who attend a camp are also eligible for a music department scholarship of up to $100 to help defray the costs of camp tuition. More information about scholarship auditions will be conveyed to home as it becomes available.


If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Many thanks!
Posted by at